Caught up in Controversy

Enseñanzas Oficiales de Idiomas

English Level C1
Lesson 4

The Routes of English: Caught up in controversy

Click on the audio below and listen to these former students of English, who
are now teachers, talking about how they learned the language.

What has your experience learning English been like so far?

How do you learn better?
What style of language learner suits you best?
Do you like learning grammar explicitly? This includes direct explanations from
the teacher, and lots of practice from grammar books, or online websites.
Do you like learning grammar implicitly? This implies learning grammar in
context without realising you are actually learning a specific structure, and
then figuring out the rule for that structure.
What is your opinion on different English varieties and accents? Which one
would you rather learn? Why?
In this lesson we intend to broaden your concept of language learning, as well as
to provide you with different approaches to teaching and learning English as a
World Language. We will also include information about some of the very many
standard varieties of English.
Image by Pietluk and Kobo in O penclipart under Share.

1. Old School Grammar?

There are different views on what is best for a student who is learning a language, whether this is his/her first language
or any given second language. Read the following article and answer the questions below.

Image by Tasmanian A rchive and Heritage O ffice

in Flickr under CC

The Wrong Way to Teach Grammar

No more diagramming sentences: Students learn more from simply writing and reading.

A century of research shows that traditional grammar lessons—those hours spent diagramming sentences and memorizing parts of
speech—don't help and may even hinder students' efforts to become better writers. Yes, they need to learn grammar, but the old-
fashioned way does not work.

This finding—confirmed in 1984, 2007, and 2012 through reviews of over 250 studies—is consistent among students of all ages,
from elementary school through college. For example, one well-regarded study followed three groups of students from 9th to 11th
grade where one group had traditional rule-bound lessons, a second received an alternative approach to grammar instruction, and
a third received no grammar lessons at all, just more literature and creative writing. The result: No significant differences among
the three groups—except that both grammar groups emerged with a strong antipathy to English.
There is a real cost to ignoring such findings. In my work with adults who dropped out of school before earning a college degree, I
have found over and over again that they over-edit themselves from the moment they sit down to write. They report thoughts like
"Is this right? Is that right?" and "Oh my god, if I write a contraction, I'm going to flunk." Focused on being correct, they never
give themselves a chance to explore their ideas or ways of expressing those ideas. Significantly, this sometimes-debilitating focus
on "the rules" can be found in students who attended elite private institutions as well as those from resource-strapped public
schools.

We need to teach students how to write grammatically by letting them write.

These students are victims of the mistaken belief that grammar lessons must come before writing, rather than grammar being
something that is best learned through writing. I saw the high cost of this phenomenon first-hand at the urban community college
where I taught writing for eight years, an institution where more than 90 percent of students failed to complete a two-year degree
within three years. (The national average is only marginally better at roughly 80 percent.) A primary culprit: the required
developmental writing classes that focused on traditional grammar instruction. Again and again, I witnessed aspiration gave way to
discouragement. In this seven-college system, some 80 percent of the students test into such classes where they can spend up
to a year before being asked to write more than a paragraph. Nationally, over half of university and college students in
developmental classes drop out before going any further. Essentially, they leave before having begun college.

Happily, there are solutions. Just as we teach children how to ride bikes by putting them on a bicycle, we need to teach students
how to write grammatically by letting them write. Once students get ideas they care about onto the page, they are ready for
instruction—including grammar instruction—that will help communicate those ideas. We know that grammar instruction that works
includes teaching students strategies for revising and editing, providing targeted lessons on problems that students immediately
apply to their own writing, and having students play with sentences like Legos, combining basic sentences into more complex ones.
Often, surprisingly little formal grammar instruction is needed. Researcher Marcia Hurlow has shown that many errors "disappear"
from student writing when students focus on their ideas and stop "trying to 'sound correct.'"

There are also less immediately apparent costs to having generations of learners who associate writing only with correctness.
Invariably, when people learn that I teach writing, they offer their "grammar confessions." Sheepishly, they tell me that they
"never really learned grammar," and sadly, it also often comes out that they avoid writing. I have interviewed an executive who
locked herself in her office and called her son when she had to write reports, and I have had parents describe writing their child's
paper because the kid was paralyzed with writing anxiety. I have even had people tell me that they passed up job opportunities
because they required writing.

Schools that have shifted from traditional "stand-alone" grammar to teaching grammar through writing offer concrete proof that
such approaches work. They are moving more students more quickly into college-level courses than previously thought possible.
One of these is a program at Arizona State in which students who test below college-level in their writing ability immediately begin
writing college essays. More than 88 percent of these students pass freshman English—a pass rate that is higher than that for
students who enter the university as college-level writers. At the Community College of Baltimore, a program in which
developmental writing students get additional support while taking college-level writing classes has reduced the time these
students spend in developmental courses while more than doubling the number who pass freshman composition. More than 60
colleges and universities are now experimenting with programs modeled on this approach.

In 1984, George Hillocks, a renowned professor of English and Education at the University of Chicago, published an analysis of the
research on teaching writing. He concluded that, "School boards, administrators, and teachers who impose the systematic study of
traditional school grammar on their students over lengthy periods of time in the name of teaching writing do them a gross
disservice that should not be tolerated by anyone concerned with the effective teaching of good writing." If 30 years later, you or
your child is still being taught grammar independent of actually writing, it is well past time to demand writing instruction that is
grounded in research rather than nostalgia.
Source: Krashen, S. (n.d.). Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language A cquisition (A ssimilação Natural - o Construtivismo no Ensino de Línguas). Retrieved March 25,
2016, from http://sk.com.br/sk-krash.html

Multi-choice

After reading the text, choose A, B or C.

1. Studies confirm that__________.
A. there is no significant difference between those classes who learn grammar and those who don't.
 A. there is no significant difference between those classes who learn grammar and those who don't.
B. 9th and 11th graders tend to like grammar lessons.
C. grammar lessons end up being disliked.
2. Students who pay too much attention to grammar rules__________.
A. become unconfident.
B. don't focus on the ideas they want to convey in their writing.
C. will end up dropping out of school.
3. The author believes that__________.
A. failure to complete the two-year degree was to be blamed on grammar lessons.
B. writing should come before grammar.
C. students were discouraged by the amount of grammar they learn before they produced a text.
4. According to the writer, the solution is __________.
A. to get students writing before teaching them grammar.
B. to teach grammar and how to write at the same time.
C. to try to revise and edit as often as possible.
5. Specific data about certain schools indicate that__________.
A. students do better in their freshman year.
B. teaching grammar through writing seems to be the right approach.
C. some community colleges still believe the stand alone grammar method works.
6. The authoris in favor of __________.
A. the explicit teaching of grammar.
B. the implicit teaching of grammar.
C. having students discover grammatical rules through writing.
Stephen Krashen is Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California. He is a linguist, educational researcher, and
activist.
Krashen has published more than 486 papers and books, contributing to the fields of second-
language acquisition, bilingual education, and reading. Most recently, Krashen promotes the use of
free voluntary reading during second-language acquisition, which he says "is the most powerful
tool we have in language education, first and second."
A dapted from: (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Krashen

Image by EMiranda.

Image by John Callow in Flickr

under CC.

Read the following quotes from Krashen's work and try to answer the questions below each of them referring to your own
experience:
"Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and does not require tedious
drill."
Do you feel more confident speaking English when you have to stop and think of how you have to structure a specific
sentence or when that sentence comes out naturally?
"Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language - natural communication - in which speakers are
concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages they are conveying and understanding."

How important is accuracy when speaking a second or foreign language? How important is communication?
"The best methods are therefore those that supply 'comprehensible input' in low anxiety situations, containing
messages that students really want to hear. These methods do not force early production in the second language,
but allow students to produce when they are 'ready', recognizing that improvement comes from supplying
communicative and comprehensible input, and not from forcing and correcting production."
Do you feel relaxed when you focus on correction only?
Source of quotes: Krashen, S. (n.d.). Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition (Assimilação Natural - o
Construtivismo no Ensino de Línguas). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://sk.com.br/sk-krash.html

Now that you have your thoughts together and have formed an opinion. Share it with your classmates.
 FREE VOLUNT ARY READING

Image by Damian Gadal in Flickr under CC. Image by A shley Webb in Flickr under CC.

"Free Voluntary Reading is the source, in my opinion, of our reading ability. It's the source — the source of most of our
vocabulary. All of our educated vocabulary just about comes from reading, in most cases. Our ability to handle complex
grammatical construction, our ability to spell, to spell well, not perfectly, but to spell well, and all of our ability to write
with a good writing style. Much of our knowledge of the world comes from reading."
Stephen Krashen
Source: The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen (Full Transcript). (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://www.singjupost.com/the-power-of-reading-by-stephen-
krashen-full-transcript/

True-False Question

Watch the video and say if the following statements are true or false.

1. During the summer, there is a decrease in students' literacy.

True False
2. The literacy program is aimed at international students.
True False
3. The tendency is for English teachers to avoid doing reading in their lessons.
True False
4. Free Voluntary Reading is the most powerful method in order to make students become literate.
True False
5. Literacy is the base of all other learning.
True False

1.1. Reading is fun

Go online and take this B2 test.
Once you are done with it, go on and take this C1 test.
How did you do on both tests? Did you notice a big gap between the two levels?
THE 15 MINUTE READING CHALLENGE
Language level: B2

Image by Joe Shlabotnik in Flickr under CC. Image by Joe Shlabotnik in Flickr under CC.

My challenge for you is this: to read a book for 15 minutes every single day for a month.
Let me explain a bit, by telling you where the challenge came from. I have many things in common with my dad, like music taste
and sense of humour, but sadly reading isn't one of them. I can happily spend a whole day curled up with a book, but my dad can't
read a book for longer than about 5 minutes. He reads emails, websites and documents for work, but not books. He is a busy
person, with a short attention span, so I think that sitting down to read for just 15 minutes a day is a good way to relax and to
introduce him to reading. Giving yourself a goal or challenge is a good way to change a habit or achieve something, so why not try
to create a new habit of reading?
My dad is by no means the only person who avoids books. I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of
the TV. Everyone is different and has their own interests, but I think there are lots of benefits to reading, which screen-based
activities (games, films, TV) don't have.
Firstly, it's better for your eyes. Looking at screens can be very stressful for your eye muscles, and apparently you should avoid
looking at screens for an hour before bed, to get a good night's sleep.
One thing I personally love about reading, is being transported to another world - I often forget the time or things that are going
on around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to bed, because you think more about the world of the book,
rather than the real world and the problems you have during the day, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a
different world in a film or a TV show, but I think books do it better. While watching a film, I often talk to my flatmates, send
texts, or paint my nails. A book, on the other hand, commands your full attention.
I also love people. I am nosy, enjoy hearing what people are doing, and finding out what people think. Reading gives me the
chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see things from other people's point of view, and
understand other people's decisions or opinions. With a book, you can hear everything a character is thinking or feeling - you really
can be inside someone else's head!
So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you're waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having a coffee. If you read a lot, why not
try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge on to someone else? Good luck, and happy reading!
Sourc e: LearnEnglish Teens | British Council. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/magazine/books/15-minute-reading-
challenge

NOTHING BEATS A REAL BOOK

Language level: C1
Call me old-fashioned, but I like a good book. And by that, I mean a real book. One that you can flick the pages of, one that you
can put a bookmark in, one that has a battered cover and broken spine.
Last year, I was given a Kindle. I have never actually read a book on it. There's something frustrating about having to charge it up
before I can read; with a real book you can just open it and begin. It doesn't feel the same in my hands: it's too light. My fingers
miss the familiar ritual of turning the page. I had good intentions of using it on my year abroad; after all, that was why my parents
bought it for me. In the end, I didn't use it. I ploughed through the French books that my uncle had lent me instead.
Over the last week, I have been proofreading several e-books, checking them for errors. Reading a screen for a long time makes
your eyes feel rather tired. I don't get this problem with a real book! In addition, scientists say that looking at screens before going
to sleep is bad for your health - so surely a real book is much better!
E-books are still a relatively recent invention. They are popular too, for a variety of reasons. An e-reader (such as a Kindle) takes
up much less room (and weight) in a suitcase: perfect for people who used to have to take several books on holiday. Lots of
people don't re-read books; an e-reader means they don't end up with a house cluttered with books they'll never look at again.
People say they're more environmentally friendly: no trees are cut down for paper, no ink is needed.
However successful these devices are, nothing can beat the appeal of a genuine book for me. After all, if I'm short of cash, or
don't necessarily want to re-read a book, I can always go to the library and borrow a book. For free!
Source: LearnEnglish Teens | British Council. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/magazine/books/nothing-beats-real-book

Reflection

After reading both texts, make a list of vocabulary, structures and cohesive devices that you consider
 After reading both texts, make a list of vocabulary, structures and cohesive devices that you consider
to be part of the B2 or C1 levels.

Show Feedback

Watch this video where Pharrell Williams tells Oprah about his favorite book:

Cloze Activity

Read the sentences below and complete the gaps with the missing words.

1. (Pharrell) One of my managers I read the book "The Alchemist".

2. (Pharrell)I realised all of the people who had
3. (Oprah) If you have the desire, the universe will
4. (Pharrell) You have to be
about .
5. (Oprah) You know how that grandmother's
to get me to this place.
to meet you exactly where you are.
to dream, and then you have to be more brave and
has now become your reality.

Submit

DropDown Activity
 Here's some vocabulary and expressions related to books. What do you think they might mean? Match
the letters to the numbers.

Expression Number Meaning

A. To be engrossed in a good book 1. Not to be able to stop reading a book

B. To read a book from cover to cover 2. To be praised by another person

C. Not to be able to put a book down 3. A device for reading e-books

D. A paperback book 4. A book with a rigid cover

E. A hardback book 5. Someone who reads a lot

F. To flick through books 6.To be completely focused on one book

G. To come highly recommended 7. To read a book from the first page to the last

H. A good bedtime reading 8. A book with a flexible cover

I. A classic 9. Of the highest quality/endured the test of time

J. An e-book 10. To look quickly through a book

K. An e-reader 11. Something to read in bed before you go to sleep

L. To be a big reader 12. A digital book

Check Show Feedback

Let's talk about books and books that change people's lives.
With a partner, maintain a conversation about a book that made an impact on you. Talk for 5
minutes. Use some of the vocabulary and expressions you have learned in the previous activity.
Before you start your conversation, think carefully of what you want to say. You might want to
take some brief notes from it if you need to, but avoid reading straight from them.
Here are some questions you might use to reflect on what you are going to say:
A. What's the book's title? Who is the author? What type of book is it?
B. How did you come across it? Did anyone recommend it to you?
C. Did you read it during a special time in your life?
D. What was it that most struck you about this book?
E. Have you read any other novels/stories by this same author?
F. Why did the book make an impact on you?
G. Would you recommend this book? Who to? Why? Image by Clint Budd in Flickr under CC.

1.2. Everybody has a past

Reflection

In an earlier section of this lesson you heard about the novel "The Alchemist", by Paulo Coehlo.
Here's the beginning of the story:
The boy's name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with
his herd at an abandoned church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and
an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had
once stood.
He decided to spend the night there. He saw to it that all the sheep
entered through the ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to
prevent the flock from wandering away during the night. There were no
wolves in the region, but once an animal had strayed during the night,
and the boy had had to spend the entire next day searching for it.
Sourc e: Read online "The Alchemist" by "Paolo Coelho" for free. Book available for free
download. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://www.readanybook.com/online/16896 Image by World Economic Forum in Flickr
under CC.

1. How many different tenses can you find in the excerpt?

2. Why does the writer use those specific tenses in the text?
Show Feedback

DropDown Activity

Look at the following statements. They all describe a specific type of past. Decide which past they are
referring to and write a number next to each of the statements.
1. Simple Past
2. Past Continuous
3. Past Perfect

Uses Type of
past
A. To express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past

B. To indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted

C. To express the idea that something occurred before another action in the past

D. To list a series of completed actions in the past

E. To describe a habit which stopped in the past

F. To describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past

G. To express that two actions were occurring at the same time

H. Used with a duration which starts and stops in the past

I. To show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the
past
J. To describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true

Check Show Feedback

Here are some more websites where you can practice and improve your use of the narrative tenses in the past:
Simple Past Practice
Past Continuous Practice 1
Past Continuous Practice 2
Past Perfect Practice
Narrative
Narrative Tenses Practice 1
Narrative Tenses Practice 2
Narrative Tenses Practice 3

Creative Speaking
Below are some random book covers, choose one that you like. Just by looking at the book cover you are going to recommend that
book to a friend. In order to do that, you will have to make up what type of book it is, what the story is about, what kind of
readers would enjoy reading the book and why. Talk for 5 minutes. Don't forget to use varied structures, vocabulary and cohesive
devices which are appropriate to the C1 level.

Image by V ernon Barford School Image by V ernon Barford School Image by V ernon Barford School
in Flickr under CC. in Flickr underCC. in Flickr under CC.

Image by V ernon Barford School Image by V ernon Barford School Image byV ernon Barford School
in Flickr under CC. in Flickr under CC. in Flickr under CC.

2. Variety is the spice of life

Is there just one English?
Listen to Professor David Crystal answering this question.

DropDown Activity

You probably know these actors and actresses. Listen to them speaking English and try to figure out
what variety of the English language they are using.
Check Show Feedback
 Standard and Non-Standard English
A standard language is a variety of language that is used by governments, in the media, in schools and for international
communication. There are different standard varieties of English in the world, such as North American English, Australian English
and Indian English. Although these standard varieties differ in terms of their pronunciation, there are few differences in grammar
between them. In contrast, there are non-standard forms of a language that are used, for example, in different regional dialects
and these non-standard varieties are different from each other.
S o u r c e : Standard and non-standard language - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionaries Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016,
from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/standard-and-non-standard-language

Map of the English-Speaking World

Image in Wikipedia under Public Domain.

DropDown Activity

Read the following text and choose the right heading for each of the paragraphs.

In the entry for "Standard English" in The Oxford Companion to the English Language(1992), Tom McArthur
observes that this "widely used term . . . resists easy definition but is used as if most educated people
nonetheless know precisely what it refers to." For some of those people, Standard English (SE) is a synonym
for good or correct English usage. Others use the term to refer to a specific geographical dialect of English or a
dialect favored by the most powerful and prestigious social group. Some linguists argue that there really
is no single standard of English.

What counts as Standard English will depend on both the locality and the particular varieties that Standard
English is being contrasted with. A form that is considered standard in one region may be nonstandard in
another, and a form that is standard by contrast with one variety (for example the language of inner-city
African Americans) may be considered nonstandard by contrast with the usage of middle-class professionals. No
matter how it is interpreted, however, Standard English in this sense shouldn't be regarded as being necessarily
correct or unexceptionable, since it will include many kinds of language that could be faulted on various
grounds, like the language of corporate memos and television advertisements or the conversations of middle-
class high-school students. Thus, while the term can serve a useful descriptive purpose providing the context
makes its meaning clear, it shouldn't be construed as conferring any absolute positive evaluation.
(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, 2000)

(i) It is not an arbitrary, a priori description of English, or of a form of English, devised by reference to
standards of moral value, or literary merit, or supposed linguistic purity, or any other metaphysical yardstick--in
short, 'Standard English' cannot be defined or described in terms such as 'the best English,' or 'literary English,'
or 'Oxford English,' or 'BBC English.'
(ii) It is not defined by reference to the usage of any particular group of English-users, and especially not by
reference to a social class--'Standard English' is not 'upper class English' and it is encountered across the whole
social spectrum, though not necessarily in equivalent use by all members of all classes.
(iii) It is not statistically the most frequently occurring form of English, so 'standard' here does not mean 'most
often heard.'
(iv) It is not imposed upon those who use it. True, its use by an individual may be largely the result of a long
process of education; but Standard English is neither the product of linguistic planning or philosophy, nor is it a
closely-defined norm whose use and maintenance is monitored by some quasi-official body, with penalties
imposed for non-use or mis-use. Standard English evolved: it was not produced by conscious design.
(Peter Strevens, "What Is 'Standard English'?" RELC Journal, Singapore, 1981)
(Peter Strevens, "What Is 'Standard English'?" RELC Journal, Singapore, 1981)

There are many grammar books, dictionaries and guides to English usage which describe and give advice on the
Standard English that appears in writing. These books are widely used for guidance on what constitutes
Standard English. However, there is often also a tendency to apply these judgements, which are about written
English, to spoken English. But the norms of spoken and written language are not the same; people don't talk
like books even in the most formal of situations or contexts. If you can't refer to a written norm to describe
spoken language, then, as we have seen, you base your judgements on the speech of the "best people," the
"educated" or higher social classes. Speakers, even educated ones, use a variety of different forms.
(Linda Thomas, Ishtla Singh, Jean Stilwell Peccei, and Jason Jones, Language, Society and Power: An
Introduction. Routledge, 2004)

If Standard English is not therefore a language, an accent, a style or a register, then of course we are obliged
to say what it actually is. The answer is that Standard English is simply one variety of English among many. It is
a sub-variety of English.
Historically, we can say that Standard English was selected (though of course, unlike many other languages,
not by any overt or conscious decision) as the variety to become the standard variety precisely because it was
the variety associated with the social group with the highest degree of power, wealth and prestige. Subsequent
developments have reinforced its social character: the fact that it has been employed as the dialect of an
education to which pupils, especially in earlier centuries, have had differential access depending on their social
class background.
(Peter Trudgill, "Standard English: What It Isn’t," in Standard English: The Widening Debate, edited by Tony Bex
and Richard J. Watts. Routledge, 1999\ The Grammar of Standard English
The grammar of Standard English is much more stable than its pronunciation or word stock: there is remarkably
little dispute about what is grammatical (in compliance with the rules of grammar) and what isn't.
Of course, the small number of controversial points that there are --trouble spots like who versus whom--get
all the public discussion in language columns and letters to the editor, so it may seem as if there is much
turmoil; but the passions evinced over such problematic points should not obscure the fact that for the vast
majority of questions about what's allowed in Standard English, the answers are clear.
(Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Student's Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge University
Press, 2006

It is in fact a great pity that the Standard English debate is marred by the sort of conceptual confusions and
political posturings (no matter how poorly expressed) . For I think there are genuine questions to be asked
about what we might mean by "standards" in relation to speech and writing. There is a great deal to be done in
this respect and proper arguments to be made, but one thing is clear for sure. The answer does not lie in some
simple-minded recourse to the practice of the "best authors" or the "admired literature" of the past, valuable
though that writing is. Nor does the answer reside in "rules" for speech laid down by either the "educated" of
any official body held to be able to guarantee spoken "correctness." The answers to the real questions will be
found to be much more complex, difficult and challenging than those currently on offer.
(Tony Crowley, "Curiouser and Curiouser: Falling Standards in the Standard English Debate," in Standard English: The Widening Debate, edited by Tony
Bex and Richard J. Watts. Routledge, 1999). Adapted from: What (If Anything) Is Standard English? (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from
http://grammar.about.com/od/grammarfaq/a/standardenglish.htm

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True-False Question

Go back to the text and say if the following statements are true or false:
1. There is one Standard English and many varieties of English.
 True False
2. Standard English is the only correct form of English.
True False
3. Standard English does not reflect a specific social class.
True False
4. Standard English is the most used English.
True False
5. Standard English differs when it comes to its written and spoken forms.
True False
6. Standard English can be considered as another variety of English.
True False
7. Not much more has to be said or argued about Standard English.
True False

2.1. World Englishes

Have you ever had to take notes in a class, a lecture or a conference? Do you know how to take notes properly?
Look at the following advice on how to take notes when listening.
You will recognize when the speaker is making an important point by:
a. pausing
b. giving examples
c. repeating what has been said
d. increasing volume or changing pitch of voice
f. taking more time on one area
h. using body language (facial expression, gestures, posture, pace)
i. using direct statements or signal words
Image by Matt Cornock in Flickr under CC.
Ask yourself these questions when listening:
1. What is the speaker saying?
2. What does it really mean?
3. How does that relate to what he/she said before?
4. What is the point he/she is trying to make?
5. Am I getting the whole story?
A dapted from: North Shore Community College. Effective Listening and Notetaking. Retrieved fromhttps://www.northshore.edu/support_center/pdf/listen_notes.pdf

Objectives

Here are some strategies you can use when taking notes:
Good note-taking skills can be a significant contribution to scoring
high on the listening section of a test. Good note-taking consists of
 high on the listening section of a test. Good note-taking consists of
eliminating function words, using abbreviations and graphic
organizers. By doing these three things, you significantly can
increase the time you can spend attending to the lecture, rather than
writing. Moreover, your notes will be organized and therefore locating
information should be easier.
Eliminating Function Words
There are two kinds of words in a language: function words and
content words. Content words are verbs, adjectives, and nouns, for
Image by Max Garcia in Flickr under CC. example. These words are essential to the meaning and should be
kept in your notes. Function words, such as auxiliaries, prepositions,
and articles, pronouns, particles and conjunctions carry little meaning and therefore should not be included in
your notes.

Abbreviations
Abbreviations are shortened forms of words. You can abbreviate words in a number of ways. The easiest way
is to use one letter to represent the word. This works best with proper nouns. You should be able to
remember the word from one letter only given the context. For example, on a lecture on planets, you
abbreviate one of them using V. Which planet is that?
V – Venus
Another way to abbreviate works best for larger words and consists of taking the first four letters of a multi-
syllable word.
Info– Information
One other way to abbreviate larger words is to take the beginning, middle, and end letters of the word. For
example:
Mgr– Manager
You can also abbreviate by using symbols, such as the following:
$
%
–>
=
A dapted from: Note-Taking. (2011). Retrieved March 25, 2016, fromhttps://advancedesl.wordpress.com/toefl/listening/note-taking/

Graphic Organizers
There are many different types of graphic organizers you can use when taking notes. Have a look at some here.

Share your tips and strategies with your partners. What works for you might work for them, and vice versa.

Reflection

Listen to David Crystal talk about World Englishes and take some notes as you listen. Focus on the
main ideas by bearing in mind what you have previously learned about note taking.
Show Feedback

Multi-choice

Now go to the following website on Varieties of English, read through the different types of English, and
choose A, B or C below.
1. This type of English is spoken by indigenous communities throughout North America.
A. African American English
B. Southern States English
C. American Indian English
2. Some of its dialects are "Geordie", "Cockney", "Jock" or "Scouse".
A. Canadian English
B. British English
C. Northeast US English
3. This variety of English is supposed to have very few unique traits.
A. Canadian English
B. British English
C. Southern States English
4. This variety of English is spoken in states such as Virginia and South Carolina.
A. Northeast US English
B. Canadian English
C. Southern States English
5. This variety developed from a pidgin that was created by slaves from West Africa mainly.
A. Northeast US English
B. African American English
C. American Indian English

Objectives

What standard variety of English should you learn?

The truth is no variety is better than the rest.
 Traditionally, British English has been the most taught variety in schools. However,
you will find that nowadays you will be exposed to other varieties of English:
American English, Australian English, Canadian English, etc.
Any variety you are exposed to, taught, or you choose to learn is perfectly
correct. The only thing you might want to take into account is that, whenever
possible, it is best if you don't mix different varieties. Just as you don't speak
Spanish from Spain and use vocabulary or expressions from the Spanish spoken in
Colombia or Mexico, you should do the same when you use English in order to keep
it real.

Share your experience with your partners. Which variety do you like best? Which
variety have you been taught?
Image by Leah Markum
Do you often mix American English and British English? Do you think the variety in Flickr under CC.
depends on where you are living?
What variety do you think is taught in the Middle East? Why?
What variety is taught in Europe? Why?
What variety is taught in Mexico? Why?

3. Two nations divided by a common language

Do you remember Pygmalion, the play by George Bernard Shaw? We listened to audio clips in the first lesson. Over the
years, several versions of Shaw's oeuvre have been produced. In 2013, The Makeover, a TV movie, gave yet
another update to Shaw's work by changing the genders of the main characters. Hannah Higgins attempts to turn blue-
collar Boston beer vendor Elliot Doolittle into a viable candidate to run in an upcoming election.
Let's watch the trailer:

What do you think is going to happen in the movie? How do you think it is going to end?
Now listen to the extract where Hannah meets Elliot.
EO I_ING6_U1_T4_A udio15_v01
Answer the questions:
1. What weather vocabulary does Wade use to describe his ascent to Washington?
2. Hannah is annoyed that Wade has won the election. Why?
3. Why does he annoy Colleen?
4. What synonym for "snob" does Hannah use?
5. What factor does Colleen mention that might have contributed to Hannah's losing the election?
6. What does Elliot wish?
7. Elliot gets the word order of a compound noun wrong, did you get it?
8. Where did Colleen meet Elliot?
9. Who are the Bruins?
10. What does Hannah mean by wallow in our demise?

After listening at least twice, click on the icon below which will take you to the script.

If you are curious about the ending, you can watch the whole film here.

After watching the full movie, you might want to share your opinions with your partners. Did you enjoy it? Did it end like you
imagined it would?
What happened that you weren't expecting to happen? Which character did you like the best? Which character didn't you like at
all?
 DropDown Activity

Read the following text and choose the word that best fits each gap.

British English vs. American English

"Two nations
divided by a
common
language"
was how
George
Bernard Shaw
(or any
number of
other people
to whom the
quote has
been Image by A nonymous in O penclipart under Share. Image by Papapishu in O penclipart under Share.
attributed)
described
Britain and the USA. Culturally, the two countries are apart than you might be tempted to
think, but just how similar are the 'Englishes' spoken in Britain and America?
While it is true that there are plenty of differences between the English spoken in the UK and that of the USA,
the first thing to point is that Brits and Americans can understand each other perfectly well.

, some American people find certain British dialects harder to understand whereas Brits are
more used to American English (AmE as linguists write it) due to exposure through movies, music and endless
reruns of How I Met Your Mother.
As a learner of English, the choice of whether to learn British English or American English is much less important
than your choice of study destination. For example, if you want to combine an English course with surfing, you
are better in Santa Monica than South London. If you want to be in a city where history
lives around you, then London is the better choice. And there is also Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New
Zealand and South Africa, each with its own variety (sometimes varieties) of English.
What's more, if you are a non-native speaker, your English is likely to be the English of the future... more
people now speak English as a second or third language than as a mother tongue.
But there are differences between American English and British English, and here are some of them:
There are plenty of examples of words that are different in the US English and British English, and it can be
interesting how these differences came to in the first place. Some words became necessary
long after the USA gained independence and no longer looked to London for guidance. Automotive vocabulary is
one area where the two varieties have many different words:
American English: trunk, hood, sidewalk, parking lot
British English: boot, bonnet, pavement, car park

...and there are dozens of other words which vary for the same reason.
There is another group of words that in the two countries for historical reasons. The
American word fall predates the British autumn, which only became the favoured British English word after the
American civil war, when French was highly fashionable. The USA kept the older word. The same is true with
candy (sweets in Britain) and faucet (tap in Britain). some older English words like fortnight,
meaning two weeks, have fallen of use in the USA, but are still in common use in Britain and
the Commonwealth countries.
Check out this list of vocabulary differences. You should watch out for a couple of them... an eraser (AmE) is a
rubber in Britain. In the USA, rubber is a colloquial term for a condom.
Pronunciation & dialects
American English is much more than British English, meaning it is often harder to tell where
in the USA someone is from just by hearing their accent. Linguists have identified somewhere between 6 and 25
American dialects, although the major divisions are between Northern, Midland and Southern dialects, which are
roughly grouped together.
American history is a history of migration, both from overseas and within the country, so
constantly mixed as people moved around the country.
A couple of things make American pronunciation distinct from British, notably that most varieties of American
English are "rhotic", meaning that the r sound is nearly always pronounced anywhere in a word, which it isn't in
most British dialects. So the word butter, for example, ends with an r sound in most US varieties, with an uh
sound in most British varieties (although not in Scotland, Ireland or the south-west of England).
There is greater variety of dialects in Great Britain because the language over a millennium
and a half, from a mix of languages spoken by various settlers from elsewhere in Europe. Families stayed in the
 and a half, from a mix of languages spoken by various settlers from elsewhere in Europe. Families stayed in the
same place for generations. This meant that the language evolved differently from town to town. Liverpool and
Manchester, for example, have highly distinct accents despite being less than 60km apart.
You will inevitably take on some of the accent of the place in which you learn. This is a good thing! Your
accent will be a part of your own story whether you learn British, American, South African, Australian or any
other form of English.
Spelling
There are a number of differences between British and American spelling. In America, for example, it is rare for a
word to end with –re, whereas this is common is Britain. Some examples include center (centre) and meter
(metre). American English also drops the u in British words like colour (color) and flavour (flavor) and an l in
traveller (traveler) and reveller (reveler).
The man chiefly responsible for these differences was Noah Webster, whose name you will still find on the
front of America's most popular dictionaries. He wanted to simplify English spelling and saw the political benefits
of a new country having its own language.
Some irregular verb endings are also commonly used in British English but not in American English, for example
burnt (burned in AmE), learnt (learned), smelt (smelled)... although you would be unlikely to notice the
difference in conversation.

There are subtle differences between British and American grammar that have developed over the centuries, for
example:
BrE: Metallica are playing in London tonight.
AmE: Metallica is playing in Boston tonight.
BrE: Our team are here to help.
AmE: Our team is here to help.
In British English, group nouns like team and squad can be singular or plural; in American English they are
singular. Names of bands or teams are always plural in British English, singular in American English.
BrE: He's finally got over her.
AmE: He's finally gotten over her.
In American English, gotten is the past participle of the verb to get. This is one of the more distinctive elements
of American English as get is such a common verb.
BrE: Monday to Friday inclusive.
AmE: Monday through Friday.
You will often hear the American version in Britain now.
BrE: The judge ordered that he should be imprisoned.
AmE: The judge ordered that he be imprisoned.
Somewhat surprisingly, corpus study shows that the subjunctive is much more common in American English than
British English, although it is a comeback in the UK, too. This is interesting because it was
common in Britain centuries ago, but gradually fell out of use (with Brits using "should" to indicate the
subjunctive, or just using indicative forms instead) until the twentieth century.
Sourc e: British English vs. American English – - ESL language studies abroad. (2012). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://blog.esl-
languages.com/blog/learn-languages/english/british-american-english-differences-varieties/

Check Show Feedback

Here's an extensive list of vocabulary differences between American and British English.

3.1. Comparing and Contrasting

The basics of a comparing and contrasting essay.

Image by Gerald_G in O penclipart under Share. Picture by JolIto in Flickr under CC.

What is the purpose of comparing and

contrasting? How to prepare for a comparing and contrasting essay:
Draw out differences between two Brainstorm everything about two subjects.
subjects.
Identify points that are relevant to both subjects.
Outline both similarities and differences
between two subjects. Establish a dominant idea after examining points of similarity and
difference. This is the basis of the comparison/contrast.
Demonstrate how one subject is superior in
some way to the other. Select those traits to focus upon based upon the dominant idea.
Demonstrate how two subjects, which Be sure these traits are subject to the purpose —desired
appear dissimilar, are actually similar. accomplishment.
Not judgmental but informational

Most common format: Important parts of the comparing and contrasting essay:

Introduction The hook: an enticing sentence which captures the interest of your
Characteristics of item/issue A audience
Characteristics of item/issue B The background: situating the topic
Conclusion The thesis statement: the sentence that contains the focus of your
essay and tells your audience what it is going to be about

Good comparison or contrast essays feature the use of indicator words to

Rules of thumb: convey to the reader at any given moment whether a comparison or
contrast is being made and the nature of it.
Discuss both subjects equally in terms of To Compare: To Contrast:
coverage. – also - although
– as - but
Discuss the same elements for each – in the same way - even though
subject; do not discuss one element for one – like - however
subject and not do so for the other! – likewise - on the other hand
– similarly - otherwise
Have a clear purpose to achieve in the – comparable - yet, still, conversely
comparison/contrast. – equally - as opposed to, different from
– in addition - whereas

Click here and download a sample compare and contrast essay. Use it as a model for your task.

4. What is that supposed to mean?

 Look at the following sentences:

1. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.

2. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.
3. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.
4. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.
5. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.
6. Jack will cycle to the restaurant tonight.

They are identical, aren't they? Or, are they?

A dapted from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0G_yZfXJUQ

Now listen, what makes them different?

EO I_ING6_U1_T4_A udio16_v01
Image by A nonymous in O penclipart
If you were thinking that emphasis (stress) on the bolded words made them sound different, under Share.
you were on the right track!
Excellent! We are dealing with sentence stress patterns.

Can you say them? You should listen and repeat as often as necessary until you get it right. Remember C1 is all about "efficacy".
Intonation and "music" are fundamental in English. Exaggerate! It won't hurt, and eventually, you will sound better!
Let's see some aspects of intonation. This video was prepared for the IELTS (International English Language Testing
System) in Australia.

According to the Cambridge Online Dictionary, the three main patterns of intonation in English are: falling intonation, rising
intonation and fall-rise intonation.

Falling intonation describes how the voice falls on the final stressed syllable of a phrase or a group of words. A falling intonation
is very common in wh-questions.
Where's the nearest p↘ost-office?
What time does the film f↘inish?
We also use falling intonation when we say something definite, or when we want to be very clear about something:
I think we are completely l↘ost.
OK, here's the magaz↘ine you wanted.
Rising intonation describes how the voice rises at the end of a sentence. Rising intonation is common in yes-no questions:
I hear the Health Centre is expanding. So, is that the new d↗octor?
Are you th↗irsty?

Fall-rise intonation describes how the voice falls and then rises. We use fall-rise intonation at the end of statements when we
want to say that we are not sure, or when we may have more to add:
I do↘n't support any football team at the m↘om↗ent. (but I may change my mind in future).
It rained every day in the firs↘t w↗eek. (but things improved after that).
We use fall-rise intonation with questions, especially when we request information or invite somebody to do or to have something.
The intonation pattern makes the questions sound more polite:
Is this your cam↘er↗a?
Would you like another co↘ff↗ee?
Source: Intonation - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionaries Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-
grammar/intonation
Let's practice.
Click on the following links. Do the exercises carefully.
http://www.anenglishaccent.com/freeintonation.html
http://pronuncian.com/Intonation/
http://www.learn-english-today.com/pronunciation-stress/intonation.html
Finally, listen to Jennifer, she will give you more information on how to improve your intonation:

5. Bite size

Image in O penclipart by A nonymous under Share.

A number of expected results were established at the beginning of this lesson. Click here and download the outcomes list. In
the blank columns, fill in your trouble areas or areas you need to work on. Pay special attention to:
Vocabulary: Learning and teaching; Learning styles; Literacy, reading and books; Varieties and standards of English.
Grammar: Narrative tenses; would and used to.
Pronunciation: Varieties of English; British and American English; Intonation patterns.
Functions: Asking for and giving opinions; Share opinions and experiences; Recommending; Giving an opinion based on
personal experience; Taking notes; Comparing and contrasting.